Border Crossing

So there has not been much updating being done, due to the fact that, oh yeah nothing has happened.  I am feeling extreme writers block as well.  Except for this weekend it was time for me to exit the country and head on down to Panama. 

Glenn, a volunteer from Wales decided to come down with me.  I woke up at 5:30 on Friday morning to catch the 7 a.m. bus to Sixaola the town in Costa Rica that touches the border with Panama. 

The entire experience was very stressful, we were being pushed around and yelled at.  We had to go to three different spots and they are no good with directions and nothing is labeled, so you literally have to be ok with being pushed around.  Everyone at their station has a different little story they like to tell you which was quite frustrating and hard to figure out the real facts.  I was thankful that there was not a lot of people.  After the experience was over and seeing as how it was only 10 o’clock in the morning, I was ready for a cocktail, you can see how unpleasant it was.  Very annoying!! 

After our passports were stamped we headed (I mean were shoved into a taxi) by taxi to the water station to take us to Bocas.  The taxi went smoothly, you know crazy driving all over the road it reminds me of playing jello as kids on the school but, only this wasn’t a game played by choice.  We met a lovely couple from Israel who joined us in our taxi jello game.  They were very kind and we ended up walking around with them finding seeing the town and looking for an ideal place to stay.  Eventually, Glenn and I decide it was best to hit up this hostel that was number one in the guide books called Mondo Taitu.  The place was pretty much a shit hole in that but than again what hostel is first class.  People clearly stayed there for the environment which in the end is what makes a good hostel.  We got a private room which was nice and than headed out and walked around town for a bit.   

We ended up running into a girl that I had originally met in Cahuita.  She had also been working for a restaurant in town on Playa Negra and was taking a few days to travel as well.  We ended up going and grabbing a bite at this “Burrito Festival” which consisted of Glenn and I and Tori and three guys from the states she was traveling with, not quite the festival however nice to eat something besides rice and it was delicious at that.   

The picture with the bridge is what we had to cross in order to get into Panama, which was one of the scariest experiences of my life.  This "bridge" had holes all over, wasn't properly fenced in, you name it!  I thought and said out loud, oh great if I fall I die, I laughed out loud but I was feeling a little anxious and that was my comic relief!! We made it across both times just fine with no complications.  Luckily at one point while crossing you go over a river which made me feel a little bit better, some cushion! 

The water and tree picture is one I took on the way to Bocas.  If you look hard enough you can catch a glimpse of the mountains behind the trees.  It was absolutely beautiful scenery the entire time!!! 

Easing into it

Nothing exciting has happened in the past week almost two weeks.  It has been dreary weather and calming.  

As previously told you I was going to work on cognitively being aware of my exercise routine, which has lead me to attend a local yoga class that is provided for free.  I have gone three times now 4:30 in the afternoon.  I am unable to make the Friday sessions at 8 in the morning seeing as how I start work at 8.  I wish she did a session everyday!!

It is the most perfect place to go, it is literally the most peaceful place.  I never imagined that I would be able to unwind and exercise on a wooden platform raised in the air, surrounded by thick jungle, with the sounds of the ocean soothing me and leading me.  I find it hard to believe that I am there when I am there.  

The class itself is a bit disorganized but so much fun.  This hour and a half of different yoga posses goes by so quickly.  The lady who organizes the classes is in her 60's and always has her gray hair pulled up in a bun on top of her head.  I will admit that I have struggled in the classes a tad bit seeing as how I have had immense hip problems since being here.  I am assuming it has something to do with walking lopsided everyday and all the biking and sitting and walking on sand.  So I look quite comical in the classes seeing as how I struggle to get out of many of the posses and normally look like someone has kicked me in the face when I am trying to get out of them.  The good news is that it is helping my hips immensely and feels great to have some relaxation brought to my muscles.    

Funny story about my yoga classes.  I have actually found this space to be quite relaxing and easy for me to gain my focus on the various posses.  However, there is one position when we enter into she tells us to tighten different areas... and every time we come to this pose I have to really focus so I don't laugh.  Joe (is our teacher's name) will say "tighten your butt, tighten your sex center, tighten your inner thighs."  The "tighten your sex center" makes me laugh so hard, I have never heard anything so funny in such a calming environment.  It makes me feel like a little school girl when people would say "number 1 or number 2" but we all thought it was the funniest thing ever.  Oh gosh, it's horrible, luckily I haven't busted out laughing yet.  

A Monday Morning Surprise

Today I had the day off... which was not a good thing to have happen.  It's so dead here meaning very little tourism.  It is kind of scary and sad to watch the community as they are panicking for money.  Which in turn is how affecting me seeing as how I did not have to work this morning.

I got up around 8 and put in some laundry, made some tea and ate my breakfast in the hammock while reading.  It was very pleasant and quiet, until I heard some rocks moving and looked to see a lizard moving around.  I watched it for a while than immersed myself back in my book.  I got up to change my laundry and noticed the lizard had moved to the other side of my pathway and had dug a hole, which I thought was strange but kept moving on.  Not only five minutes later I returned to find that the lizard had laid eggs!!!! It was one of the coolest things I had ever seen.  She than proceeded to cover them up.

I never imagined I would see a lizard, dig a hole and lay eggs let alone two feet from where I live.  It was so exciting!!!!

In the picture you can see the white round things behind the lizard are the eggs!!

Sunday Morning

This week after waking up every morning at 5:30 and basically forcing myself back to sleep till 7, I decided to just embrace the fact that I am waking up early and rise.  I am 90% sure that for the first time in my rather short-lived independence I have never ever gotten out of bed on a Sunday morning at 7:30 and was active.  I got out of bed at 7:30, put in a load of laundry, read in the hammock with some lemon tea I had made, hung up my laundry, cleaned and got ready for the day.  I than made my way into town to attend the first ever farmers market of Cahuita.  I was so thrilled, there was a band playing and I was able to buy fresh vegetables!! It was so cheap and so nice to give to the community.  I bought cheese and green beans, red pepper and a tomale (which I still have to try! It’s made out of corn and in a banana leaf… I am kind of scared but excited!) all of this for around three or four dollars.  

I would also like to note that over the past five years, when I have been doing my own laundry, it has always rained or been bad weather on that exact day I decide to do my washing.  I don’t know how its possible but it is.  Today of course was no different than any other in the fact that it rained, why? Because I did my laundry!!!! 

After attending the farmers market, Glenn, Ellen and Sam and I headed to the bus stop to go to Manzanillo.  I had wanted to check out the National Park down there and thought it would be a good idea to invite them along.  I didn’t exactly plan the whole day out… soo it didn’t go as smoothly as possible but was an adventure nonetheless.  It took a little over an hour to arrive there and we decided to eat lunch right away.  We ate a very cheap yet tasty chicken casado.  Than the weather started to pick up, we realized we were unsure of the bus schedule after we had started walking into the park.  We went back to discover that the next bus wasn’t till 5:15.  We were all so exhausted that we decided to get a taxi back to Puerto Viejo where we could than take the bus to Cahuita. 

Our taxi ride back was of course interesting.  Never a dull moment when traveling with me!  He told us that he forgot gasoline for his friend and turned around, I of course said “oh yeah no problem” to which Sam said “oh great this is how we get kidnapped and die.”  Thank goodness our taxi driver did not understand English since the rest of the ride was filled with kidnapping jokes… which were funny but not funny at the same time.  We arrived safely, gasoline and all. 

We walked around and I got a brownie with caramel ice cream (homemade!!) before jumping on the bus and heading back to Cahuita.

It was such a delightful day.  Except for the bad weather….. Oh well, can’t win them all. 

Horrible picture I realize... however the only one I have of the day!

Saturday

Work was slow… no one is in town and I have been lucky to still have my shifts.  I am not sure how much longer I will have my shifts since the ladies that work at night have been staying at home. 

After work we all went over to where my friend Roberto works called Suiza Lodge and swam in a pool!! It is such a nice place over there and beautifully landscaped.  We swam for the afternoon.

 We than went into Puerto Viejo so Ellen could do some shopping.  I ended up buying a hammock that fits into a bag! (good for transport) for $35.  I was sooo excited, I haven’t hung it up yet, but it will be a nice addition to my porch area. 

We tried a new restaurant called Loco Natural, which was supposed to be fabulous and is owned by Exploradores (the company we went rafting with).  It was a nice atmosphere with live music, although not the best food ever.  I did enjoy the experience overall though.  

Afterwards we came back to Cahuita and went to Coco’s, the live music on Saturday’s is by far my favorite night out.  Everyone has a great time and you can’t go wrong.  

Lucky

This past week Ellen and I decided to go to Playa Negra.  I had originally planned on going early in the day and ended up attempting to take a nap in the immense heat of my upstairs bedroom.  Ellen arrived and we took off for the beach, on the way there Lucky (the dog that lives on the same property as I do) decided that he too would be joining us.  I thought it would be ok, since dogs are allowed. 

Since it was the first time I had ever brought him to the beach with me I was a little leery.  I waded in the water while watching him on shore, when all of a sudden he took off running, which meant I took off running in a swimming suit after a dog with people staring at me.  When I approached him he knew he was in trouble and tucked his tail between his legs and followed me back to where we had been.  Until once again he got excited and took off, I took off again running into the street.  A local police officer was getting ready to stop in front of me as I am scanning for Lucky.  The police officer stops, I spot Lucky and Lucky and I both take off running and I yelling at the dog (I have never ignored a police officer before until today!).  He went and asked Ellen if everything was ok… she had no idea what he was saying.  Quiet hilarious. 

We than decided it would be a good idea to take a walk with Lucky, not sure why some lessons aren’t learned right away.  We got a ways away when Lucky took off running back in the direction we had come, we could not catch up and hoped that he made it home.  He did make it home safely and we weren’t concerned, although I was fairly annoyed with him. 

This dog has no listening skills and is very carefree.  He comes and goes as he pleases.  Some mornings we do a little dance where I put him behind the gate, get my bike and oh look there he is again.  It can be a 15 minute ordeal… in the morning he wont let me grab his collar which means I can’t catch him to lock him up to make him stop following me.  I do however love this dog, as he is very entertaining to have around.  

Past Week

This past week was filled with the same old routine of with work in the morning.  It was beautiful weather so I tried to make it to the beach as much as possible.  With being here I have realized that at some point we all talk about the things we want to do…. How often do we actually commit to doing them? 

I have decided to be active in my decisions and to stop talking and do.  For me this means running everyday (even if it’s for 10 minutes, I am making the effort to get out and be active), attending yoga class on Monday and Wednesday (which is free to the community).  Although these are small things I want to make sure I am being active in my life.  This also includes spending more time blogging, writing and reading.  Although I have been doing all of these activities, I find that upon graduating it's very easy to disengage one's mind.  It is still very important for me to keep myself engaged both mentally and physically.  I have been forced for the past twenty two years to use my brain whether I have enjoyed it or not….there is no reason to disengage now when there is much ahead of me.  If I don't create this discipline, want and desire to be active in my life than when will I?  

I am excited for these challenges and think they will bring me even more joy than I have already found in life.